Sleepyheads
by shipper-swabbie
Summary: Elena keeps telling him to talk to someone, Nate has argued many times that Elena counts as 'someone' but she means someone professional like a shrink. Post U3. One giant Elena/Nate marshmallow-y treat. Spoilers of U3 obvs. Oneshot.


**A/N:** Whoo! First Uncharted fic! I hope you all enjoy. It is pure, sugary fluff; it's basically a marshmallow. In fact, I even obtained some cavities whilst writing this. You've been warned.

This takes place after U3 and was inspired by Nate's actual journal from that game. If you flip to the very last page in the journal, you can see Nate's drawings of Elena mixed in with the puzzle solutions in chapter eleven.

Enjoy!

* * *

Nate couldn't sleep.

You think that after all the things he's conquered in his life time, saving the world, saving it again, saving Sully and the world, and the most terrifying and important thing: marriage, a little insomnia would be easy to beat.

The problem was, facing scary monsters (or non-monsters depending on who you ask and what kind of psychedelics you've accidentally ingested) and watching pretty much everyone you care about almost die, it tends to stir up a little anxiety at night.

Elena keeps telling him to talk to someone, Nate has argued many times that Elena counts as 'someone' but she means someone professional like a shrink. He knew very well that he had a pretty solid case for PTSD but come on, if Sully had ever found out he'd never let it go.

Why did Nate save that guy so many times again?

The domestic live was easy. Elena would occasionally do interviews with famous historians and travel gurus, and Nate was supposed to be working on a novel documenting all his experiences in treasure hunting while they lived off the interest of Nate's 'personal collection'.

Their house was lovely. It had a nice yard, a few flower beds that neither Nate or his wife had any idea on how to maintain. Sometimes Sully would come over on the weekends and weed out the beds, you know keep them looking tidy and stuff. Victor Sullivan, gardener. Who knew?

Life was good.

He would do anything to keep Elena close and if that meant limiting their grand expeditions to two or three a year and keeping a low profile in between, it was worth every minute. But despite his best efforts, Nate would sometimes get bored.

He did his best to keep busy; reading, hiking, criticizing the Discovery Channel for their substantial historical inaccuracies, but when all the lights are off and it's just him, Elena, and the dark sometimes he got antsy.

Images of fire demons and giant blue guys come. Walls and bridges crashing all around and under him and he runs as fast as he can, but it's always the 'what ifs' that catch up to him. What if he doesn't make it this time, what if he left someone behind, what if he has to carry his wife's limp and bloody form to safety but he stops inches too sort.

Ah, darkness. Sometimes it's too much.

This was one of those nights.

At 4:15 AM Nate leaned over to his bedside table, switched the light on and picked up his journal.

* * *

At 5:06 AM the first thing Elena noticed was that the light was on again. The second thing she noticed was that Nate was finally asleep. He didn't even make it under the covers before he passed out on their bed.

She wishes he would swallow that stubborn pride of his and talk to a psychiatrist. Even though Sully would tease him a little, Elena hoped that he would have enough sense to give Nate the space he needed to recover.

It wasn't the worst night Nate's ever had. The worst nights were when he'd be yelling her name in his sleep, clinging to her or the covers like his life depended on it. She wished there was more she could do for him besides just let him hold her until he came out of it.

Hell, she had her share of nightmares too- after all the crazy things they've seen? And even after all that, it can't be much compared to what Nate experienced, she knew he'd seen worse than her. He even had his mind screwed with not once, but _twice_ on that crazy drug Marlowe dowsed him with. They didn't even know exactly what is was, but she swears some nights he must have had flashbacks from the stuff.

Earlier that night she found him napping on the couch before she went to bed. She knew it was bad for his sleep routine to leave him like that, but he never seemed had the nightmares during his naps, and he looked so peaceful. She kissed him on top of his head and made her way to their bedroom.

She wasn't sure what woke at 5:00 AM, but there she lay. She sat up as slowly as she could and made sure that Nate was actually asleep.

"Nate?" She whispered as quietly as possible. She leaned over and saw his features relaxed, snoring softly. She couldn't help but smile to herself.

She reached for the lamp switch when she realized Nate's pencils and erasers were out. She peered down and saw that Nate's journal was clasped loosely in his hand.

"Wow, really?" She chuckled to herself. Suddenly the journal slipped from her husband's hand and fell to the carpeted floor with a soft thud. Elena let out a small yelp, covered her mouth with both hands and remained as still as possible to see if Nate would stir.

He let out a loud gasping snore, snuggled his loose hand under his torso and sighed back to sleep.

Elena relaxed and tried not to giggle too much. He may be having trouble getting to sleep lately, but once Nate was out, he was _out_.

Elena slipped out from under the covers and tip-toed over to Nate's side to retrieve the book. She noticed that it fell open to the latest entry and she couldn't help but peek at what he'd been working on.

She sat on the carpet with her feet curled up under her, back propped up against the bed. When she looked at the open page she felt a smile creep across her sleepy face as she looked.

What Nate had been working on was a drawing of Elena herself, fast asleep looking peaceful and way more beautiful than she imagined was true. The shading was delicate and flattering and his style made even the drool on her cheek look beautiful. She subconsciously wiped the corner of her mouth and felt her eyes swim with warm tears. She covered her mouth and a giggle-sob escaped her lips and she heard the figure over her moan and stir.

"Hey." Nate murmured, his heavy lids opening briefly and then shutting again. His left arm slipped out from under his torso and snaked around her neck, lazily massaging the base of her skull.

"Hey." She replied softly.

"I jus had a dream 'bout you." It was all slurred together, Elena wasn't sure if he was really awake at all.

"Yeah?" She answered anyway, "Good or bad?"

His face was all smushed against his pillow and only one eye was visible and mostly shut, but Elena could tell he was smiling a goofy, sleepy smile. "Good. V'ry good."

Elena leaned ahead so she could wiggle her neck away to clasp his one free hand with both of hers. She brought it to her lips and kissed as softly as she could, "I love you."

But he was already asleep.

* * *

**A/N2:** Ugh all that sweetness gave me a stomach ache. What do you think? Tell me in a review! I will not, however, be responsible for any dentist/doctor bills you may have after reading. Thanks for taking the time!


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